Benching ?????

I might 'bite the bullet' soon and enter some champ shows with Alfie
I have downloaded some schedules and entries and am pondering on which will be least scary
Now the 'Benching' thing..........I have never come across it at open shows and know nothing about how it works ? What i need etc ? I have heard about the use of crates or benching chains and am at a bit of a loss as i haven't got a clue,Can i get a bit of advice ???
Thanks xxxxxxx

Good luck if you do decide to It's not quite as scary as it seems

Right, with regards to benching you have several options. You can go for a simple benching chain which is what I use - I bought mine from Luxway Canine Supplies and it works fine.

Other options include a bench guard (Trystorme sell these) or you can go for a crate. However, you will need to find out what size the benches are for your particular breed. For mine, a 36 x 25 x 27 crate is the right size, however my breed is somewhat larger than yours, so you may have a smaller bench (and thus require a smaller crate).

HTH

Thanks greyhawk,
So basically is your dog is allocated a space and stays there whilst it is not showing then (can u nip off for a practice ?)I find Alfie more receptive in the ring if i can run him round abit prior to going in the ring.
I think he would prefer a benching chain as opposed to taking his crate.

Yes - you are allocated a certain 'bench' to put your dog on, however it is perfectly fine to take him off for a bit of a practice, or to take him to the toilet etc

Thankyou,
Would i be right in assuming that there would be less 'competitiveness' (Therefore being less scary for me ) at a champ show where there wasn't a CC on offer in my class ? Or do you tend to find the entries much the same ?
I know it probably varies from breed to breed,but with it being my first champ one i just wondered I tend to get quite nervous still,although within our breed and the Hound breeds in general everyone we have met has been so very nice.
My Beagle is 'well up to size' but has so far been placed at every show we've attended and hasn't been 'chucked' as yet !! But i need to ease myself in gently so to speak........

Tink - you need to clear a little space in your Inbox I am trying to send you a picture of a bench (well techinically it is a picture of a dog on a bench - but it gives you a general idea what they are like )

Thanks Greyhawk..........Done it

You are right in saying that it varies from breed to breed. Although I would say there is more competitiveness at shows where CC's are on offer it really does depend on the breed (as does the number of entries). I own two breeds, one is numerically much larger than the other and in this breed there is a far higher entry for CC shows than there is for shows with no CC's. In my other breed, the entry figures are fairly high for both, but it is a lot friendlier

PM Sent.

I would favour the crate approach especially if the dog has not been on a bench before, I have seen some near accidents with chains (although Dalmatians are a bit mad so you may not have the same risk! ) A lot of people in the UK when I was last there are using the fabric type, but you do need to secure it to the back of the bench.
It is wise to have a friend with you so someone is always with the dog, you get members of the public in doing stupid things, although not on the same scale as Crufts, there have been accusations of sabotage in some breeds and mine would not be left alone for a second, and you will need to go to the loo - probably several times!
The Kennel Club usually print a rule about how long your dog is off its bench, usually "for purposes of exercise or exhibiting" if my memory serves me right.
As for shows - just go for it, they are much of a muchness, the more far flung such as Scotland and Paignton attract fewer entries on average, but really it is no different from an Open show, just slower and more of you in the ring. I saw a complete novice go to Windsor a few years back, never even been to an Open, took her dog in (it was about 16 months) won Junior which was a good class then got the RCC. There is absolutely nothing to be nervous about, there will be people there in a similar position to yourself, we all had to start somewhere and thank goodness we get "new blood" coming into the Champ shows to make it more interesting and encourage new faces.
I have made a fool of myself at big shows more times than I care to remember, it doesn't matter at all! Still doing it here in Ireland......